JURA ENA 8 REVIEW: IS THIS SMART ESPRESSO MACHINE WORTH IT?

The popular Jura ENA 8 super automatic espresso machine packs advanced features into a compact design.

The Jura ENA 8 is the tiniest Jura model to offer milk-based drinks at the touch of a button, providing it a perfect niche in the market. It’s beloved by those with small kitchens and offices.

In this full review, I’ll dig into everything this model offers, including its design, drink quality, and ease of use. After weeks of testing this little espresso machine, I’m confident I can help you decide if it’s the right Jura for you.

The Full Jura ENA 8 Coffee Machine Review

The Jura ENA 8 was launched in 2019 but has seen a substantial overhaul in the years since (1). It’s still the smallest Jura machine with a milk system, but the latest model has more drink options, a better grinder, and a more user-friendly operation than the original – among other improvements. In short, a great espresso machine is even better.

How I Rated It

• Design
• Brewing System
• Coffee Quality and Versatility
• Cleaning and Maintenance
• Value for Money

3.8

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Design Notes: Compact And Timeless

The compact design is one of the main selling points of the ENA 8. It measures 12.7 inches tall by 17.5 inches deep by 10.7 inches wide and weighs just over 20 pounds. In fact, it’s the exact same size as the entry-level ENA 4, which lacks a milk frother.

The small size comes with some capacity restrictions, though I didn’t find them overly limiting for a one or two-person household. The bean hopper holds about a quarter pound of coffee beans, the dregs bin fits about ten coffees worth of grounds, and the water tank measures just 1.1 liters. 

The coffee spout is height adjustable with a pretty impressive range, varying from 2.7 to 5.4 inches. It accommodates all but my tallest travel mugs and thermoses. An unexpectedly appealing feature is the cup illumination. If you’re preparing an early morning coffee in stealth mode while your family sleeps, you won’t have to turn the lights on.

You can’t pick a Jura coffee machine based on aesthetics because they are all similarly beautiful. The brand showcases Swiss design sensibility, favoring clean lines and timeless, classy designs. The ENA 8 stands out from the rest of the line-up, however, thanks to its gorgeous cylindrical water reservoir, patterned to resemble premium crystal carafes. This impeccable design is available in Metropolitan Black and Nordic White.

How Does The Brewing System Work?

The Jura ENA8 was designed for smaller households to be able to enjoy Jura’s premium brewing technology, so it packs a lot of advanced brewing features into its small frame.

It uses a thermoblock heater, which takes under a minute to heat up, paired with a high-performance 15-bar pump. The shots it pulls aren’t particularly complex, but they’re beautifully balanced and sport a thick layer of crema.

PEP Technology And What It Means

The Jura ENA 8 is equipped with the patented Pulse Extraction Process (PEP) technology, designed to optimize the flavor and aroma of espresso, ristretto, and espresso doppio shots. Once upon a time, this tech was only available on the most expensive models, so I’m happy to see it throughout the line-up now. If you’ve ever tried an older-model Jura, you’ll know it makes a noticeable difference.

Rather than a steady pressure, hot water is pulsed through the ground coffee. Testing by Jura and independent researchers, like data scientist and espresso enthusiast Robert McKeon Aloe, has shown this to yield a better-extracted shot (2).

To be clear, Aloe was referring to a pulsed shot he pulled using his espresso machine – not a Jura. But it’s obvious that the pulsed method yields benefits.

Does the Jura ENA 8 make regular coffee?

Yes, the Jura ENA 8 offers a setting for regular black coffee. However, it is still brewed under pressure, like an espresso shot. So it is closer to an Americano than a standard brewed coffee.

Premium Color Display

A large 2.8″ TFT color display controls all aspects of this machine’s operation, including adjusting settings, running cleaning cycles, and preparing drinks – unless you’d prefer to use the Jura app, which I’ll discuss more below. 

The screen has beautiful clarity, making this model easy and intuitive for espresso machine beginners. For example, if you haven’t learned the proper Italian names of the available coffee drinks, you’ll be happy to find each one-touch drink option is also designated with a picture showing the ratios of milk and coffee.

My only complaint about the operation isn’t specific to this machine but regards touchscreens generally. They tend not to be very responsive if your fingers are wet, which mine often are while preparing coffee and breakfast. Keep a towel handy.

New And Improved Grinder

The first ENA 8 had Jura’s Aroma G3 grinder, which was top-of-the-line at the time. The latest edition has the updated Professional Aroma grinder. I haven’t been able to test the two grinders side-by-side, so I’ll take the brand at face value when they say the new model enhances coffee aroma by 12.2%. 

I can say that this grinder is impressively quiet, much more so than my standalone espresso grinder. The bean hopper is equipped with an airtight silicone seal, assuring coffee beans stored there stay as fresh as possible.

Milk System Highs And Lows

The ENA 8 espresso machine has Jura’s HP1 siphon-based milk system coupled with the brand’s Fine Foam Technology – a bunch of technobabble that means it can quickly prepare a selection of milk-based drinks at the touch of a button. In my experience, it’s a good but imperfect system. Let me explain.

The Siphon Design

The ENA 8 doesn’t have a built-in milk frother or steam wand. Instead, you attach one end of a siphon tube to the machine and put the other in a milk container. It sucks up the quantity of milk needed, froths it, and dispenses it in your mug. 

While it looks unwieldy, I’m a fan of the siphon tube versus a frothing carafe. It allows this coffee machine to maintain its compact footprint. It makes it easy to switch between different kinds of milk – like whole and low-fat or dairy and plant-based – and avoid milk waste. And it’s easy to clean, as the tube self-cleans via a short burst of steam after each use.

With the siphon tube, you can hold the milk with any vessel of your choice. If you don’t have anything handy, Jura sells two different carafes for this purpose. There’s an inexpensive plain carafe and a pricier refrigerated option.

Where It Falls Short

My main complaint about the frothing system is that you are given no control over the milk. The only setting is to tweak the milk quantity.

The Fine Foam Technology does a nice job producing fine foam, but that’s it. It doesn’t differentiate between a silky latte and an airy cappuccino, and there is no way to adjust milk texture manually.

Similarly, you have no control over milk temperature, and the froth tends to be delivered on the cool side. I measured it between 130 and 140 F in my tests, which is the low end of ideal. I know a lot of coffee lovers who would prefer the option of 150 to 160 F.

More Drink Options Than Ever!

I won’t claim the coffee quality from a fully automatic espresso machine – even an expensive one like this – can match that of a semi-automatic espresso machine operated by a skilled barista (3). But Jura coffee makers get much closer than most others I’ve tried, and they’re certainly a massive step up from other one-touch brewers like Nespresso machines (4). 

The first Jura ENA 8 had ten coffee specialties available at the press of a button, and in the new model, that has been expanded to 15 – though some are only slight variations on others. 

The core drinks are espresso, coffee, caffe barista, cortado, cappuccino, flat white, and latte macchiato. You can add an extra shot to any of them. You can also order simple warm milk or hot water, which is dispensed via a separate spout.

Each drink can be customized by adjusting brew water volume, coffee strength (10 levels), coffee temperature (3 levels), and milk volume. The hot water temperature can also be adjusted, which is handy if you’re a tea enthusiast (5).

What’s Missing?

There are two missing drinks, in my opinion. First, the ristretto option of the first generation ENA 8 has been removed in this latest model. I understand this decision, as I know very few ristretto drinkers, but it does feel like a bit of a step backward. More obviously, this machine lacks a latte. You can hack a decent facsimile by ordering a flat white with an extra shot and more milk foam, but it’s not quite right.

Can you use ground coffee in Jura ENA 8?

Yes, the ENA 8 includes a bypass doser, which allows you to add preground coffee and skip the grinder. I find this handy for occasionally enjoying a decaf or flavored coffee without emptying the bean hopper. Of course, if you always brew with preground beans, I’d recommend buying a cheaper espresso machine without an integrated grinder.

Jura Smart Connect And The J.O.E. App

The ENA 8 is Wifi and Bluetooth enabled, so it qualifies as a smart espresso machine. It’s compatible with Jura’s proprietary J.O.E. app, which has many handy features.

Its primary function is to spare you the use of the touchscreen. It provides a quick and intuitive way to order and customize your drink, and I like how it lets you set up and save several drinks at a time. You could use it to take orders from all your brunch guests at once, for example.

It also alerts you to maintenance and cleaning needs, connects to the Jura store when you need to resupply, and provides access to machine updates.

What it doesn’t do, to my considerable frustration, is turn the machine on and off. You would think that would be the first thing they would program. So you can’t wake up in bed, pick up your phone, and get your coffee brewing in the next room.

Cleaning And Maintenance: Easy But Expensive

One trait common to all Jura automatic machines, which might be a pro or a con depending on your perspective, is that the brewing unit isn’t removable for cleaning. Instead, you simply drop a Jura cleaning tablet into the bypass doser and run the cleaning cycle. It even prompts you when this is necessary. 

Most users love automatic cleaning and descaling because it’s incredibly convenient, and buyers of Jura espresso machines tend to value convenience. However, it is expensive to keep buying branded tablets. And if something goes wrong, it’s challenging to gain access to the interior to do repairs yourself. You’ll likely have to send it to a dealer.

The only regular cleaning required of the user is to empty the drip tray and grounds bin, which I find is marginally more of a hassle than it needs to be. The drip tray is very large, with the back half extending far into the coffee machine and housing the coffee grounds waste bin. So there is no simple way to empty just the tray. 

When you pull the whole assembly out, it’s four parts:

• The base drip tray
• The grounds bin
• The metal front piece
• A plastic drip tray lid

While the lid is nice in that it will keep you from spilling on your way to the sink, it does feel like a lot of pieces to clean.

What is the life expectancy of a Jura coffee machine?

Juras are very long-lasting, with lifespans almost approaching those of commercial machines. The warranty lasts 2 years or 6000 cups (whichever comes first), but provided you perform the recommended maintenance, you should get at least 10 years from the ENA 8. I know multiple people with 15-year-old Juras, and the new models are even better.

Jura machines are so well made that they are frequently refurbished, which can be a great way to find one at a bargain price. 

Expensive But Not Overpriced

Speaking of price, there is no denying that Jura espresso machines are expensive, and the Jura ENA 8 is no exception. I can think of cheaper espresso machines that make better coffee and milk drinks. But I can’t think of any that can do it this consistently at the touch of a button. That’s what you’re paying for, and if that’s what you want, this machine represents excellent value.

Let me put it this way. For convenience equivalent to the Jura ENA 8 coffee maker, you have two options. You can get a capsule machine like a Nespresso, which will be less expensive upfront but requires expensive capsules, a separate milk frother, and produces inferior drinks. Or you can go to a coffee shop, where a professional barista can likely prepare a better cappuccino, but you’ll pay way more if you’re a regular coffee drinker (6). The Jura splits a nice middle ground between these two options.

Jura ENA 8 vs E8

You’re not alone if you find yourself confused between the Jura E8, a longtime bestseller, and the newer ENA 8. So let me quickly compare the two. 

The Jura E8 is popular because it falls near the middle of the line-up in terms of price and functionality. It is a step up from the base models but still significantly more affordable than upper-end models like the Jura Z10 or Giga W3.

The Jura E8 is larger and substantially more expensive than the ENA 8. For your extra cash, you get two extra specialty drinks, a more advanced grinder, and a slightly better milk system – though you still can’t control milk texture or temperature. The touchscreen of the ENA 8 is replaced with a larger 3.5” color screen flanked by buttons.

The biggest difference between the two – and the main reason to pay extra for the E8, in my opinion – is capacity. Along with a higher-capacity bean hopper and water tank, the brew unit of the E8 can accommodate doses up to 16 g versus 10 g for the ENA 8. The ENA 8 best suits single users and couples, whereas the E8 can handle more.

Ultimately, both are great coffee machines that produce the same quality coffee and should last many years. It just comes down to your priorities.

Don’t Buy the Jura ENA 8 If…

• You don’t drink milk drinks – If you love espresso but have no interest in frothed milk, you can save a lot of money by opting for a model without a milk foam system. Take a look at the Jura ENA 4, which is more compact and affordable than the ENA 8 but includes the same Pulse Extraction Process to ensure top-notch espresso.

• You want something more affordable – Jura super-automatic espresso machines are pricey, though I would argue that the espresso quality and Swiss engineering make it money well spent. If you lack the budget and still want the convenience of a super-automatic espresso maker, consider the Gaggia Anima Prestige espresso machine, the DeLonghi Magnifica, or the Philips 3200, all of which are less than half the cost of the Jura ENA 8.

• You want to be more hands-on – If you’re willing to sacrifice a bit of convenience in favor of more control, there are plenty of great options. The Breville Barista Express, which still includes a built-in grinder, has been a best seller for many years. Or, if you want to step it up a notch, look at buying the Rancilio Silvia or Gaggia Classic Pro paired with a decent espresso grinder, which won’t cost any more than buying the Jura.

The Verdict

Jura has a well-deserved reputation for making some of the best automatic espresso machines in the game. No other brand offers the same quality in this market, though you pay a premium for it. The newly upgraded Jura ENA 8 is perfect for the coffee lover who wants espresso and milk-based drinks at the touch of a button but doesn’t have a lot of counter space to spare.

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